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Bring back domestic Airport to HAL
Written By shuvan.saha - 9 March, 2009
BIAL Bangalore BIAL Complaint HAL Aviation
Lets bring back the Domestic Airport to HAL. For domestic travel where a air time can be of max 3-4 hrs, the passengers have to travel for 2-3 hrs. This is ridiculous. The Airport is such an important part, it should be accessible at ease.
BIAL should be kept only for International Travel and a high speed train connectivity from Bangalore city should be made available at the earliest.
COMMENTS
Hi Shuvan
Welcome aboard!
Let me assure you, this topic has been discussed at lenght! Please use the " Those who read this may have read" corner for more insights. I do not see a conclusive reason to keep HAL airport open after all the debates.
The HSRL too has been discussed. IMO it needs to be further integrated with Bangalore as opposed to simply serving the airport.
Speaking of commuting to the airport: I've done it a few times, and from Koramangala I have never taken more than 1.15 Hours during peak hours. And I have to say, that Bellary road is one of the most obedient stretches in Bangalore. Something we have done has worked. I have noticed that every bus/taxi i take seems to follow the speed limit and not cut lanes and one's will and wish! I am fine with the signals on the road - and I dont feel we need magic boxes everywhere. A 2 min wait at these signals is going to do no harm!
I hope we can apply this to other roads in Bangalore. Its the same users after all.
Narayan Gopalan
User Interaction Designer
Bangalore
silkboard - 9 March, 2009 - 17:39
We have had a lot of talk on this here, Narayan already pointed that out. But your timing on reopening this is pretty good. Do you think this could be an election issue for Bangalore Lok Sabha polls!?
If not for LS polls, this could be a big deal in Bangalore Local elections for sure.
kbsyed61 - 10 March, 2009 - 17:46
Narayan,
You are absolutely right. No matter how long and how effectively you discuss this issue of HAL/BIAL, this OPEN-HAL airport would be haunting B'lore and BIAL for long time to come. Irony is we want this to be an election issue.
But at the same time I don't care if I don't have any public transport the worth for my daily hassle free commute. I don't care if for catching bus to Mysore, I may have to travel all the way from R T Nagar to Mysore Circle. I don't care for the BMTC bus to be on time and at regular frequency.This is the tale of twisted awakening.
s_yajaman - 11 March, 2009 - 04:29
First off, I think with the economic downturn the whole issue seems to have died down. BIAL cannot operate with just international traffic (about 1.5 million out of the 8.5 million that they hope to do this year). They will have to shut down.
Then the 2-3 hours. Our friends in the media seemed to have played this up quite a bit. From the centre of the city it takes about 45-50 mins. From my place (48km away) it takes 1 hr early morning and 1hr 30 mins other times On the way back it takes 1 hr 15 mins to 1 hr 40 mins depending on my landing time. I have to cross the entire city. And it was not as if HAL Airport presented me with a Star Trek - Beam me Aboard Scotty - type of scenario. Late evening it used to take me 1 hr 30 mins to get home (it used to take 40 mins just to reach Manipal Hospital sometimes).
Coming to Narayan's points. I agree. The traffic seems to have become more disciplined. Even at 10:00 p.m. cars stop at the red light (surprisingly they break the lights inside the city more often). Vehicles tend to drive in lanes - except at lights when they find every gap to go an wait. Honking has reduced when the lights turn green!!! Most of the stretch has lights. When we met Mr.Sood he said that he would put pelican lights and No Parking signs along the way. That has been done. Need more speed checks early morning though.
The BMTC VV service is doing well. I heard that some IT companies have mandated that employeed use it and enforced it by cutting conveyance limits on expense reports. Is that true?
If the HSRL does materialize then the impact is even more. It will be as if the airport terminal has been shifted to MG Road.
Srivathsa
narayan82 - 10 March, 2009 - 04:27
2 Reasons why I dont think it should/will be a promise to woters:
- How many air travellers vote? Even if they all do - how big a segement is it?
- Is it a realistic promise? - If elected to power can he/she do anyhting about it? HC has denied HAL opening - is he challenging that?
Now, I would prefer it if he/she made a promise like:
"Improve connectivity to railway Station, Airport and Bus Stands" - That would cater to Air travellers, Rail Travelers and Bus Travelers - in short a MUCH larger community/segement of people, And it is a realistic promise!
Narayan Gopalan
User Interaction Designer
Bangalore
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